Privacy Fence

[Vandals909]

I live in southern California where temps range from low 30's in winter to high 100's in the summer. I had a company come out and give me a quote for vinyl fencing the back half of our 1/2 acre property. I current fence was installed by the prior owner and it is a rotted and falling down wood fence.

We have a total of 338ft of fencing that needs to be replaced. The quote for vinyl with install and removal was around $9,500.00 (roughly $28 a foot). This may not be a large amount of money for some of the high rollers on this site but it is a good amount of money to us.

I have made myself crazy looking at all the different types of Vinyl and how some have metal inserts and some don't etc.. We get the occasional high wind of 30-40mph.

I can across a product called SIMTEK, it is a faux rock panel and appear to be tougher than vinyl and I actually like the look of it better. It has a higher impact rating, and wind rating. I do worry my young son or even the neighbor kids will someday damage the vinyl by throwing rocks, balls or even by accident. It appears vinyl can be brittle.

here is a gallery for Simtek. http://www.simtekfence.com/residential-gallery/

Looking to see if anyone has any experience with them? My issue is the cost of materials is way higher, about $42 a foot just for materials. I wonder if it is worth it? So it a way larger investment. It looks better however only us and our neighbors would be able to see the fence as it is in the back half of our property by my workshop.

I would rather spend the money once, even if it is more and know the fence will last a long time. We plan to live in this home for 20 plus years.

 

[CNGsaves]

Lots of profit in that bid (or CA hyper pricing) for 338 ft of vinyl for $9500 !!

This area of flyover country, you can get quality cedar 6 ft tall x 3/4" thick with 3 stringers for $10 to $15 a ft in materials. With upgraded posts to steel, this fence would easily last 20+ years in almost any environment. Easy enough to build fence yourself, so recommend you consider DIY.

Your "vinyl" fence for nearly $10K will look like **** in less than 3 years if you've got kids throwing rocks, BB guns, etc.

Is this "city" location, with a need for 2 "good" sides ?? Will neighbors be paying 1/2 of fences that are on property lines ??

If rural location, I'd recommend going with one-side cedar fence using 3 stringers and steel poles. For "city" location, then maybe shadow look with alternating boards on each side so both sides look good.

 

[Wizzard]

That is one reason we moved out of Cali...high prices/taxes on everything. In our area here in the south a quality 3 stringer wooden fence is ~$10-12/ft. We had over 200ft done for $1,900...if a board ever rots out just buy a new plank for $2 and it takes one minute to screw/nail it on. If wooden fences last the way they do here on the Gulf Coast they should last at least just as long in So Cal. Good luck.

 

[Vandals909]

Thanks for the comments guys. I know California is expensive, not moving anytime soon, so just dealing with it.

I do worry the kids or neighbor kids would damage the fence.

One of the neighbors said he would help as much as they could. I haven't spoken the the other one. Honestly not counting on any of them helping at all.

I have to admit, I'm lazy and do not want to be spending time maintaining a wood fence.

anyone with experience using/installing SimTek?

 

[Jlbc212]

No experience with SimTek, but I noticed it is sold by Home Depot for $149 for a 6 or 8 ft section, depending upon the height. That works out to just under $25/ft. You would still have to add the cost of posts.

 

[Vandals909]

Yeah and post are $60 each. Total for post, panels and caps are $12,400 plus tax.

I have looked for an alternative to SimTek, looks like they might have a hold on the market, thats why their prices are so high.

 

[weadjust]

My neighbor put up something very similar to the Simtek and may be Simtek. I looks really good installed but I haven't tried to toss a ball through it.

 

[SpeedThrills]

Do you need a fence? Take it down and leave it down.
Edit: Just noticed the "privacy" part. Still, I'd think about whether or not I need one.

 

[Kaizen]

I put up about 18 full panels of cheap wooden picket fence from home depot last year. the price you have is crazy and yeah if you get damage on a panel usually have to replace the whole thing. put a stain on it and keep it off the ground. backfill the posts only with packable gravel and the posts wont rot. stain will weather in 5 years and you hose it and slap some more on. I'm guessing if you price the basic wood 6 foot flat picket with 4x4 pressure treated posts you'll have maybe 2k total. if that. put up a string line and have at her. if the posts last 20 years then maybe you'll put up some panels but honestly I painted a white picket 4 footer in95 and just took it out last year. looked fine but was rotted in some places. posts were solid still have them.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If the panels are not too bad, just replace the posts that are rotten.

At my son's house we have replaced about 8 posts and we will have to probably do a couple more this year. The originals were cedar. The replacements were PT. This is the fast way.

Patent Pending Post Puller

That lump of concrete is about 200 lbs.

 

[JimR1998]

You might consider a high quality chain link fence with slats. Slats have come a long way in terms of longevity and appearance. A multimillion $ house on my way to work had evergreen style slats installed along the road and it looks like a well trimmed hedge. Slats can make the fence blend into the landscape or just give you privacy while you wait for trees and shrubs to fill in. Chain link basically lasts forever and you can get a updated look 20 years from now if you want it for a fraction of the cost.

I'm very skeptical when I hear lifetime anything. Chances are in a few years the panel style will be replaced with something else, good luck trying to get something to match.

 

[Vandals909]

Still looking for some alternatives to vinyl and wood. Anyone ever saw a full metal paneling fence? Not sure how that would hold up in the wind.

 

[67carl]

One word: Oleander. Anyone who's driven on the highways of California and seen those tall, thick enormous bushes with the pink, red or white flowers knows what a good barrier they make. If they can grow in the median between highway lanes they can grow anywhere. Plus they grow several feet a year. I planted a few as a privacy barrier last year and they are growing in nicely.

Hey - you said you wanted more options!

 

[ddawg16]

THAT is a high price....even by CA standards.

Where are you located? I'm guessing IE? Where I live, 100+ does not happen (too close to the beach)

Want the perfect fence? 6' chain link with bougainvillea growing on it. Those 4-6" thorns will stop even the Hulk.

Downside....takes a few years to establish.

But, it looks great....and effective.

 

[justin1795]

i know people love the no care required pvc fences but its really not very true. i had a wood one at my old house and beside replaced a few screws after a few years did nothing to it. we have pvc around our pool and it gets mildew stains on it and the lawnmower scratches the hell out of it. had a few piece crack from the sun.

 

[Rosco]

I build them out of treated wood, 4 runners and trim on the top and bottom. I also cap the post and stain everything after the wood is dried. I use coated screws everywhere. Looks really nice and last a long time. My current fence is almost 10 years old and still going strong.

I am in South Ga, which helps. If you decide to do wood (you could build 4 fences for that price) I will post the details

 

[mechanic217]

As has been stated ,consider picket on steel posts, right out of school I worked for a fencing contractor and installed about any fence you can imagine , the longest lasting and most cost effective were always chain link , if the customer did not like the looks the next best was cedar pickets nailed to pressure treated rails bolted to galvanized steel posts set in concrete. This is what I have around my house and recommend.

 

[930dreamer]

After getting bids to replace the metal on my shop for more than I paid for the entire property, house and shop I'll have to do everything myself.

 

[CraigStu]

My only comment regards the manufacturer. We had one of Certainteed's shake shingle style vinyl siding put on a previous house. We were only there 5 more years so no long term info. But I can say that it was so much stronger and more durable than standard vinyl siding it was no comparison. Based on that I say that, at the very least, you will get good service from their fencing.

 

[Wes Tex]

mechanic217 is correct. I have the same galvanized metal posts with 2x4 runners and cedar pickets. I refinish it with sealer every 4 or 5 years. Other than replace a few runners, it still looks good after 16 years.

 

[tinmanwpk]

I build them out of treated wood, 4 runners and trim on the top and bottom. I also cap the post and stain everything after the wood is dried. I use coated screws everywhere. Looks really nice and last a long time. My current fence is almost 10 years old and still going strong.

I am in South Ga, which helps. If you decide to do wood (you could build 4 fences for that price) I will post the details

I know I would appreciate some details please for my Georgia log cabin.

 

[nadogail]

I built a fence that I am sure will be standing long after I am gone and buried, and did it inexpensively.

The posts are repurposed steel pallet beams that I was able to get for nothing more than a "Please and Thank You". I used my Abrasive Chop Saw to trim the hardware off the ends, then I welded steel tabs to the posts to bolt on Pressure Treated 2X4 rails. I bought Cedar fence boards from Home Depot, and after painting them with a Copper Napthate termite repellent, I primed them with Kilz2, then nailed them to the rails.

The posts are set 4' into concrete. A fence company estimator told me that my fence would probably survive a nuclear blast; I think he was kidding me.

I have found the 1&1/2" EMT also makes very decent fence posts.

If you are ever in Coronado, I will be happy to walk you through how I put together a fence that will hold up.

PM me for my address and telephone number.

 

[Ralf11]

you should get 30 or more years out of PT posts set in concrete - if too ugly, can face with a prettier wood

 

[MongoTA]

I’m laying out lines for a horizontal board fence, 8’ high, likely cumaru, garapa, or massaranduba. I’m figuring $33/ft not counting posts. Not sure if I’ll do steel or wood posts. But posts could add another $6-$11 to the running foot cost depending on which direction I go.

Going to let it weather to a silver gray.

 

[gnpenning]

You guys do know this is a 6 year old thread. If the OP hasn't figured it out by now he never will.

Would be nice if he would have followed up with what he used.

 

[p00p]

You guys do know this is a 6 year old thread. If the OP hasn't figured it out by now he never will.

Would be nice if he would have followed up with what he used.

seems as a poster might be in the business of such work... I'd be on the fence if they're here to contribute to the forum. Soliciting for work without authorization is frowned upon.

 

[Ralf11]

You guys do know this is a 6 year old thread. If the OP hasn't figured it out by now he never will.

Would be nice if he would have followed up with what he used.

good to keep it going - more info for new people and and satisfying to refurb an old fence thread even if the posts get rotten from ground contact

 

[DeeDubz]

I had privacy fence installed on our property. I believe we did a total of 550 ft of it plus an opener with solar. Im pretty happy with the fence. I didnt have the money for anything else. Our property is just under an acre. We had an additional 500ft give or take of chain link installed. If your interested ill try and dig up how much we paid. I cant remember off the top of my head but its wayyyyyy cheaper than anything i could find. Sorry i dont make millions so i couldn't do brick or vinyl.

 

[PoorUB]

I put up this fence, Home Depot Veranda, about ten years ago. I rented a stand on, mini skid steer with a post hole auger and install four sections so five posts in 3 hours by myself. I put pea gravel in the holes and topped the holes with a slug of concrete for stability. It still looks like new. It may help that we don't have any children! As for wind we had some 100 MPH straight line winds come through in a thunder storm and it is still standing! I would not hesitate buy it again.

 

[EyesFit]

I live in southern California where temps range from low 30's in winter to high 100's in the summer. I had a company come out and give me a quote for vinyl fencing the back half of our 1/2 acre property. I current fence was installed by the prior owner and it is a rotted and falling down wood fence.

We have a total of 338ft of fencing that needs to be replaced. The quote for vinyl with install and removal was around $9,500.00 (roughly $28 a foot). This may not be a large amount of money for some of the high rollers on this site but it is a good amount of money to us.

I have made myself crazy looking at all the different types of Vinyl and how some have metal inserts and some don't etc.. We get the occasional high wind of 30-40mph.

I can across a product called SIMTEK, it is a faux rock panel and appear to be tougher than vinyl and I actually like the look of it better. It has a higher impact rating, and wind rating. I do worry my young son or even the neighbor kids will someday damage the vinyl by throwing rocks, balls or even by accident. It appears vinyl can be brittle.

here is a gallery for Simtek. http://www.simtekfence.com/residential-gallery/

Looking to see if anyone has any experience with them? My issue is the cost of materials is way higher, about $42 a foot just for materials. I wonder if it is worth it? So it a way larger investment. It looks better however only us and our neighbors would be able to see the fence as it is in the back half of our property by my workshop.

I would rather spend the money once, even if it is more and know the bamboo fence for privacy will last a long time. We plan to live in this home for 20 plus years.

Apart from the price, I can't suggest a vinyl products ; we've been selling it for years in an area with high winds and plenty of snow and have never had any issues. If you insist on using cedar, I strongly advise you to use galvanized aluminum or steel posts for your support structure; it will cost a little more, but you won't have to worry about post rot. If you can't afford it or prefer to use wood posts, I propose extending your post hole by 6 inches to allow for drainage. You should use gravel to level out the bottom six inches, tamp it down, and then lay the post in concrete on top of that.

 

[nadogail]

The most recent fence I built had a frame of Pressure treated 2X4 lumber nailed to a concrete footer and was covered on both sides with Harde Plank.